Very few aims can be achieved without suffering; typically the more worthy the aim, the more suffering is required. Fortunately, the more worthy the aim, the more fulfillment and joy we get from achieving that aim.

This talk will look at the interdependencies between achievement, suffering, and joy in both personal and professional endeavors, focusing on how to brace for the inevitable (suffering) while improving the likelihood that aims are achieved and the resultant joy appears and is cherished.

Don Box is a musician and engineer residing in Seattle. Professionally, he spent the first eight years of his life founding and running a company, followed by a long tenure at Microsoft working on .NET, Visual Studio, SQL Server, Xbox, Windows, and HoloLens. He currently works at Meta Reality Labs attempting to put a computer on your face.

Deepti is a dynamic speaker and resilience advocate known for her remarkable journey of triumph over adversity. She grew up in a small town in Northern India, a place with far limited opportunities and faced the added challenge of being a non-native English speaker.

Despite these daunting odds, Deepti pursued her dreams with unwavering determination and resilience. She excelled academically, earning her degree in engineering and subsequently completing her MBA at one of India's most prestigious business schools. She has held pivotal roles in the technology and consulting sectors, working with globally renowned organizations including Google where she is currently working. Her ability to excel in highly competitive environments is a testament to her resilience and unwavering determination.

She firmly believes in the power of a resilient mindset, emotional intelligence, and the importance of a robust support network. Deepti is passionate about sharing her wisdom and practical tools with others, offering guidance through speaking engagements, workshops, and writing.

In her upcoming TED talk, Deepti will take you on a captivating journey, intertwining her personal story with her professional insights. Prepare to be inspired and empowered as she shares her experiences, valuable life lessons, and strategies for overcoming adversity.

Deepti invites you to join her on a path of self-discovery and resilience. Her talk will not only leave you inspired but also equipped with the tools to face life's challenges with courage and resilience, regardless of your background or circumstances.

Rhiannon Sikand

Narrative Alchemy: Personal Storytelling and The Pursuit of Authenticity

Rhiannon Sikand is a senior at the Harker School who has long been fascinated by the power of storytelling to shape our perceptions of the world. In her TEDx talk, she will explore the potential risks of adopting a narrative view of the self, informed by her own experiences.

The interdisciplinary nature of her talk, at the intersection of scholarship in psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience, reflects her broader academic interests in exploring the relationship between science and the humanities. Through her passion for global health and medical anthropology, she is interested in the prevailing sociocultural narratives that impact health care delivery. In her free time, you can find her baking, reading Jhumpa Lahiri, or beating her family at trivia night.